Happy Endings Are Tentative
by Swag Giraffe
Summary: SYOC! [Submissions: Open!] In the town of Pure Imagination, you can be anything BUT free. Ruled and created by the sorceress Malorica, all the residents of the village are characters in stories, made to amuse herself. But what happens if someone wants a different path than the one their creator laid out for them? They shall be destroyed, and their story will turn dark and collapse.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own any fairytales, merely my plot and OCs.**

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><p>Rain trickled down the window, the dying end of a fierce storm. Reaching for a tattered notebook, a woman chuckled deeply. "This new story will be a lovely addition to my collection…" Scribbling hurriedly on the weathered pages, she finished and slammed the book shut, the particles of dust floating up from it's covers not bothering her in the least.<p>

"Go, my pretty little characters… go, and amuse Malorica. Yes, this will be so fun…" Rubbing her flawless hands together with a heavy sigh and large grin, the sorceress turned from her book to a large, ornate mirror hanging on her wall.

Waving a finger in the air, the clear reflection of her perfect form morphed into the view of a village square. The town was bustling, people walking along the streets, minding their own business as the sun shone brightly upon them, the sky a brilliant blue. The picture was almost too perfect, surreal, as if it were a scene from a book. Bordering the entire settlement were castles. Castles of every shape, size, color and style. A wide smile split the pale skin of Malorica's face as she gazed into the scene, watching a new castle shimmer into being. "Hehehe, my precious… new little story to please me, yes yes…" Tossing a lock of her raven black hair, the woman left the mirror to pick up the notebook yet again.

"Now to continue the stories… yes… all shall be as I command!" The beautiful, young looking sorceress sat down at her mahogany desk, flipping the pages of her book until she reached an empty section. "Now, no one shall go astray. My creations. They will play my game, won't they pet?" Malorica's gaze shifted up to a raven, perched on her tabletop. His caws sounded with his mistress's laughter, filling up the small room and echoing through the hall.

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><p><strong>Yo, Swaggy here!<strong>

**So the plot of this story was slightly inspired by an anime I started recently, 'Princess Tutu'. I know it may seem like I have a lot of stories, but trust me, I can handle them and this one wouldn't leave my head. So, I will be needing LOTS of OCs, and if you are interested in submitting, details will be on my profile. :) I LOVE fairytales, and I hope y'all do too! This is gonna be lots of fun! And the story won't be from Malorica's POV, that was just for the prologue. And because I don't have any OCs yet. :) **

**Also, I'd like to thank a friend of mine for coming up with a name for my evil sorceress that would have taken me several days to figure out. Really helped me out. :) (He knows who he is.)**

**One more thing: OCs by PM ONLY please. I know this site is fickle about reviews with OCs and whatnot, and I'd like to be careful. :) Thank you very much. Please review, I know the prologue was short, but I promise the chapters will be longer! Good, bad, helpful, all reviews are welcome, but no flames please! :) Thank you, and have a lovely day! :D**

**~Swaggy-chan**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except for my OCs and the plot.**

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><p>"Honoka! Vanilla! Adina! Jasmine!" A sixteen year old girl was running through the main street of Pure Imagination, calling at the top of her lungs. People paused to look over at her, her long, apple-green hair flying behind her, the darker green highlights obvious in the afternoon sun. Her white flats made short, clicking sounds on the stone road as she ran, barely audible for all the noise around her. She called out for her friends again, looking around at all the vendors.<p>

"Over here, Shaina!" A voice hailed her with a chuckle, "Lost again!"

Shaina halted and craned her head, looking for the speaker. "I'm over here, silly." One more sweeping glance over the area and the young woman saw a strawberry blonde standing in a nearby alley, hair wild.

Shaina tilted her head confusedly as she trotted over to stand before her friend. "Adina! W-Where are the other girls? And why are you in the alley…?"

Adina waved a hand, "So many questions! Geez."

Shaina rolled her eyes and returned good-naturedly, "Well, do you have answers?"

Adina nodded, "Yes yes. Well, the girls went to that book stall over there, and I came over here because my feet hurt…" She smiled ruefully. "A lot."

Shaina frowned, "Oh, I'm sorry! Even through your shoes? Again? Really, Adina?"

The green eyed girl shrugged and protested, "Hey, some people have tender feet, okay?"

Shaina nodded, "Okay! So, um, when are they coming back?"

Adina's granny-smith gaze shifted to see behind the girl, and she responded with a smirk, "Right now!"

Shaina turned, her long hair brushing her waist as she moved. "Hey girls!" She greeted excitedly.

Three girls walked up to the pair. One of them had long, silky brown hair with sideswept bangs brushing her sky blue eyes. Another had long, thin chocolate brown hair that framed her fair, sweet face, magenta eyes sparkling. The last girl had black hair that was tied into a ponytail with many bands, creating an almost braided effect and complimenting her dark skin and partly hidden by the light brown shawl draped over her head.

"Why so excited, Shaina?" The girl with the magenta eyes inquired curiously, the vine-like birthmark stemming from her left eye crinkling as she smiled pleasantly and patted the girl on the back.

"Well Vanilla, I got assigned a Destiny!" She announced excitedly, bouncing on the balls on her feet.

"No way, that's amazing, Shaina!" Honoka tossed her bangs out of her eyes as she grinned.

"Wow, Shaina. I really thought you were going to get stuck with a Fate," The black haired young woman admitted softly, twisting the ends of her long hair in her fingers.

"Says the girl who skips out on her own Destiny constantly," Adina retorted accusingly, wagging a finger her.

Shaina smiled, "It's okay, Jasmine. I'd begun to lose hope as well, but the sorceress visited me in my dreams last night. I.. I feel lead, now. Like something important could happen any day now!"

Adina nodded matter-of-factly, "But of course! Although, I've had a Destiny for years now, and she hasn't really led me to do anything." Upon reaching the end of her sentence, she grimaced. "Seventeen and still no action," She complained bitterly.

Vanilla put a hand on her shoulder, "It's okay Adina."

Adina smiled, "You're right. At least my Destiny doesn't have me slaving for my step-family, right?"

Vanilla winced, and Honoka frowned, "Adina!"

The blonde gasped and covered her mouth, "Ah, I'm sorry Vanilla!"

The shorter girl smiled sweetly, "It's alright, Adina, I know you didn't mean it."

Jasmine smirked, "Good thing for you Vanilla's such a forgiving girl, Adina."

Adina wrinkled her freckled nose, "Yeah yeah, I know…"

Honoka put a finger to her lips, "Hey do you guys hear shouting?"

Adina rolled her green eyes, "It's the town square: when do you _not_ hear shouting?"

The brunette shushed her, "No, listen!"

"Get him, fool! He stole my bread!" A woman shrieked, the shrill noise slamming into nearby villagers ears unpleasantly.

"Let's see what's going on," Adina motioned to her friends and stepped out of the alleyway, wincing as she walked.

"There is something wrong with that girl," Jasmine whispered to Honoka.

The brunette nodded in response, "She's so sensitive…"

Hubbub filled the marketplace as a young man ran through, cradling something in his arms. He knocked over a cage of hens, who proceeded to cluck in disapproval as they were thrown about. The man's pursuer leapt over the cage, shouting at him to stop. The thief, in turn, paid him no heed, simply hopping nimbly over a snake charmer's rug and heading for an alley.

The very same alley where a group of girls clustered, taking in the scene.

"Oh no, he's coming over here! Move!" Adina pulled her friends to the side, but one of them stumbled, and the thief didn't stop in time, and collided with her. '

"Ah!" Jasmine fell onto her side, skinning her exposed elbow on the cobblestone, blood trickling over her dark brown skin.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" The thief apologized, and helped her up.

"I-It's fine…" The young woman took the hand he offered and looked up at him, eyes widening as she did so. His thick, black hair stood straight up on his head, despite the sweat dripping down his dark olive face. His deep, chocolate eyes were partially hidden behind long, thick eyelashes. With his well defined jawline and concerned smile, he was quite the looker.

The thief blinked in surprise at the pretty maiden before flashing a charming grin. "Well, if luck is with us, perhaps we shall bump into each other again!" And with that and a small bow, he scampered off again, his rotund pursuer hot on his heels.

Jasmine stared off into the alley where he'd disappeared, asking in a shocked, quiet voice, "W-Who was that…?"

Vanilla tilted her head, "Have you never heard of him? He's famous around town, you know. A thief, of course. They call him Arcturus."

"Arcturus…" Jasmine repeated his name as she adjusted her head covering, looking around the square.

"No one's gonna recognize you, silly." Adina assured her, patting her on the head.

Jasmine rolled her eyes and peered around the marketplace before saying, "I think I'm gonna head out now. See you, girls." And with that, she melted into the crowd and was gone.

"And then there were four," Adina announced solemnly.

"Adina!" Shaina chastised, then giggled. "You're so weird."

Adina gave a sweeping, exaggerated bow, "Why thank you, Sir Lancelot!"

Vanilla raised her eyebrows, "Um, but she's not a sir…"

"And who's Lancelot, anyway?" Honoka asked, puzzled.

Adina sighed, shrugging, "It's just supposed to be funny… never mind."

"Did you see the look on Jasmine's face when Arcturus bumped into her?" Shaina asked, trying to change the subject as the quartet strolled out into the market.

"Yeah! Although it's really too bad… a princess and one of the most famous criminals around? Not gonna happen." Vanilla lamented. "And they'd be so _cute_ together…"

As the girls gossiped on, a man glanced their way. His tall, wiry yet muscular frame was rather imposing in the square, yet nobody seemed to pay him much heed as they went about their tasks, despite the proud look in his blue-green eyes and his imposing presence. His eyebrow twitched in annoyance at the cluster of young women's conversation, and he turned to leave the market. "Petty thief… he's far too sloppy to be so well-known," he muttered softly.

As he made his way from the center of Pure Imagination, he pulled a bow from his back and checked the string lovingly. Pleased with the state of his favorite weapon, he entered a large building with the ghost of a smile on his face.

"Hey, if you love that bow so much, maybe you should marry it," a sarcastic remark greeted the young man as soon as he came in the door.

He chuckled, running a hand through his black hair. "Hello to you too, Eric."

Eric stood from the floor before the enormous hearth where he'd been poking the fire obsessively, the firelight glinting off his dark brown eyes and caramel Ivy League buzzcut. "You get what you wanted, Preston?"

Preston smirked a bit, reaching into the pocket of his brown leather tunic, pulling a pouch from within and dropping it onto the table self-importantly. "That I did."

Eric allowed a smile to grace his features, "So you really stole from that queen with the mirror?"

The man sat in a chair, carefully setting his weapons onto the oak table that sat before the fire. "That I did. She was so busy talking to that thing it was just too easy. It should be illegal to steal from someone so unobservant. Oh wait," he grinned as he kicked his feet up onto the table with a sigh, "It is."

Eric snorted as he strolled over to the table and sat across from the twenty-two year old man that took him in. Tapping his feet, he ordered with a hint of jest, "Boots off the table, sir. I just got it perfect."

Shrugging, Preston dropped his feet back onto the ground to please his seventeen year old companion, despite the argument his controlling brain gave. "Fine, have it your way. I know how much you like things to be perfect."

"Quite."

A knock on the door interrupted the pair, and Preston stood, slipping a knife from the tabletop into his palm as he tiptoed to the door. Reaching his right hand forward, he flung the entrance open, brandishing his knife cautiously. Seeing the figure that stood, terrified, on the threshold, he dropped his hand with a sigh. "Hugh. You know better than to knock."

The boy on the doorstep nodded vigorously, eyes glued to the weapon in his caretaker's hand. "Y-Yes sir, Mr. Preston, sir, b-but I…" He trailed off uncomfortably, "Forgot, sir."

Preston raised an eyebrow, and stepped aside. "Well, come on in lad, and remember to just enter. Merry Men may come and go as they please."

"Yes sir!" Hugh saluted and stiffly marched inside. Preston hid a smile as he closed the door behind the boy, who sat in a chair beside Eric at the long oak table. "Hello, Eric!"

Eric blinked at the twelve year old, and merely nodded, "Hey."

Hugh wildly brushed stray black curls from his sea-green eyes, turning to Preston inquisitively. "So… what are we doing today?"

The man sat across from him at the table once again, crossing his arms thoughtfully as he stroked his bow, checking the string. "Well, I thought Eric could take you for an archery lesson."

Eric frowned and glared at Preston as the young boy cheered, leaping out of his chair. "Yahoo! Sweet, this'll be fun! C'mon, Eric!" Hugh tugged on Eric's olive green and grey mottled cloak excitedly, annoying the man.

"What? Preston!" After a minute of fighting with the boy, Eric gave in and stood, sending Preston a scowl. "Seriously?! But he's so… so…"

"I wouldn't finish that sentence in front of the boy if I were you, Eric," Preston chuckled as the pair left, leaving him alone. Smirking, he kicked his feet up onto the table, sighing in content. "Ah, much better."

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><p>"See you later, Mother!" A ten year old girl tucked a basket full of baked goods under her arm and trotted happily out of her house. The buns and cupcakes she'd baked sent tantalizing aromas up to her nose, but she ignored them cheerily. "I will get this batch to Granny," she reassured herself.<p>

Tossed her blonde side-braid behind her shoulder, she zipped her pink hoodie and set off for the forest. "Over the river and through the woods," she recited, "Is where Old Mother Goose lives. My granny!"

She carefully stepped over a log, handling her load with care. Grunting slightly as a stick hit her in the face, she blinked, her light pink eyes stinging. "Ah, silly branch…" She giggled softly as she skipped on through the woods, until she came to a bridge.

Humming happily, she skipped across the overpass, grinning at the sparkling river below her. Looking up, she saw a cheerful cottage, surrounded by geese. Trotting up to the cottage and dodging the fowl, she knocked on the cherry-wood door, her pale, thin fist stinging slightly as she did. She shuffled her feet, waiting patiently.

The door opened, and a little old lady smiled sweetly. "Ah, Emi my darling! Come in, come come!" She stood to the side, allowing her granddaughter to enter her cottage.

The building was cozy and cheerful, with a lot of color and many rugs. Several doors were set into the purple wall leading into other small rooms. The living room had a small table, covered with fringe-lined fabric, atop which sat a crystal ball.

Mother Goose smiled as she put away the clear glass orb, motioning for the young girl to sit down. "So, my sweet, what brings you here today?"

Hayashi Emi held out the basket as she took a seat at the woman's table. "I baked you some sweets, Granny!"

The old woman sighed happily, her wise brown eyes sparkling. "Thank you, Emi dearest!"

Emi nodded, her light pink lips curled into a smile.

After a moment or two of silence, the elder female chuckled deeply. "Was there something else, love?"

Emi shifted slightly in her seat, and Mother Goose shook her head amusedly. "No, dearest, for the last time, I will _not_ read your fortune!"

"Please?" Emi clutched her hands before her face, pleading. "I just wanna know! It'd be so cool."

The old woman shook her head decidedly, "No. And I'm not going to tell you if you get a boyfriend anytime soon, either."

The girl slumped over slightly, deflated. "But Granny, I just wanna know… Hugh Hunter is so cute!"

Her grandmother chuckled, reaching across the tabletop to take her hands. "Some of the best things in life come from waiting, darling. I wouldn't want to spoil some of the sweetest parts of life for you! Trust me," a faraway look entered her chocolate eyes as she finished, "You don't get to be the keeper of legends like I without knowing a thing or two, eh?" She winked and sat back, waiting for her granddaughter's reaction.

Emi scrunched her face up as she pondered the words. "Yeah, I guess you're right…" She conceded.

Mother Goose smiled at the girl and reached for the basket. "Good. Now, let's have some of these delicious pastries!"

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><p>The sun rose early over Pure Imagination, bathing the enormous city in its warm glow. On a cliff overlooking the village, a slender girl sat quietly, her feet dangling off the stony edge, along with dozens of feet of raven black hair. Her lightly tanned hands were pressed against the bluff, her perky periwinkle eyes taking in the scene blissfully. She sighed contentedly, leaning against her taut arms.<p>

The birds chirped in the trees around her, signalling the dawn to the rest of the world. Peering down, she could see a few people leaving their houses, rubbing their eyes tiredly, and she giggled to herself. They were so funny, being tired this late in the morning… it was only about five-thirty.

She pulled her dainty feet up and climbed gracefully to her feet, pulling yards of her hair up to rest beside her on the ground. Moving to be farther away from the edge of the escarpment, she coiled the locks of hair around her body, smiling giddily. "Here we go…" She murmured softly, breathing deeply and putting her arms by her side. Twisting her torso slightly, she suddenly snapped and lifted her feet, spinning at a dizzying speed. She looked down at her hair, watching to see if it would spin around her, in a manner akin to a rope. The uncooperating tresses merely tangled around her ankles, causing her to fall over with a small cry.

Huffing in slight exasperation, she stood, letting out soft grunts of pain as she unraveled the hair from her legs. "Man, it didn't work…" As she finished with her task, she stood peacefully, taking in the sounds of the early morning.

A voice sounded in the distance, startling the young woman out of her reverie. "Rapunzel! I'm coming, let down your hair!"

Rapunzel took in a sharp breath, frozen. "Oh no…" She whispered, a look of horror crossing her soft features. Gathering an armful of dark hair, she took off into the woods, her destination a lonely tower, hidden amongst the trees.

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><p><strong>Heyo peeps!<strong>

**So, I finally started this story, yay for me! :D There is so much I need to say, lemme try to remember it all, lol... **

**So, I just wanted to let y'all know that I have been having some health issues, one that includes my left arm/wrist, making it difficult and rather painful for me to type, plus I'm not allowed to stress it. So, slower updates on ALL my fics. I'm SUPER sorry about this, guys... it sucks. Dx BUT! I'm SUPER excited to be writing this, and I've gotten some amazing OCs that I can't WAIT to use!**

**Yes, Adina's line about Sir Lancelot is s rip-off of something I say all the time. My sisters hate it. xD**

**So OC submissions are still open, and probably will be until one of two things happen. One: I get all the OCs I need, or two: I get enough chapters in that I decide to finish all the OCs myself (SO MUCH WORK!). So, if you've reserved a spot, I'd appreciate it if you could send your OC in. I know how busy things can get, and I completely understand, but I do need them. :) And HEY! MAKE MORE OCS! Tell your friends! XP Heehee. Just kidding. **

**So, there were several OCs in this chapter, and I'm super sorry if your OC hasn't appeared yet! But don't worry, they'll all be here in due time. :) So, without further ado, the OC disclaimer list!**

**I do not own the following OCs, however I do have permission to use them:**

**Vanilla Xavier, she belongs to Flame Wisp (This is very emotional for me, to use her... but that's a very long story). **

**Shaina, she belongs to Unknown 000 Andromeda.**

**Yamazaki Honoka, she belongs to Soccers Heart.**

**Princess Jasmine Eurasia, she belongs to my twin sister, Maple.**

**Arcturus, he belongs to cometshadow.**

**Preston, he belongs to a great friend of mine.**

**Eric Howl, he belongs to emosewa-13.**

**Hayashi Emi, she belongs to Marese.**

**Rapunzel, she belongs to NightStryke.**

**Adina, Old Mother Goose, and Hugh Hunter all belong to me. :)**

**(I think that does it... hope I didn't miss one! xD)**

**I hope I got your OCs in character, and if you don't think so, let me know! :D I want to do them justice, they're all awesome. **

**So, you know the drill, please review, they make my day, and help me know how I'm doing. And to all those who celebrate it, Happy (slightly early) Thanksgiving! Although really, I'm sure we all have something to be thankful for. :) Don't go into a turkey coma! XP Or a mashed potato coma. Or a cupcake coma. Or a pie coma. Y'know what? How about no comas, please. Just please, no. Okay, I'm tired, and I'm going to shut up now. xD**

**REVIEW!**

**~Swaggy-chan**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own any fairy tales or most of these OCs.**

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><p>"Oh Rapunzel dearest, let down your hair!" A woman stood at the base of a stone tower, deep in the woods of the Dawn Sector, calling out with false sweetness. Her flawless fair skin and perfect figure looked like a teen as she called yet again, a hint of sharpness to her tone. "Rapunzel!"<p>

"Coming…" A voice was barely heard from the solitary window in the wall about fifty feet up, and soon a pile of raven black hair cascaded from the opening, hitting the ground and forming a rope of sorts.

The woman smiled vainly and tucked a pure white curl behind her ear, tossing her black cape aside slightly in order to climb. She grasped the dark locks and began pulling herself up. A slight grunt was heard from the maiden attached to the hair, but she just kept climbing.

Upon reaching the window, the woman hoisted herself gracefully over and smoothed her black skirts. "Hello, Rapunzel."

Rapunzel smiled at the woman, the witch that held her in the tower. "Hello, Ivory."

Ivory Noelle smiled primly, examining her fingernails. "How are you this… fine morning, Rapunzel?" She moved gracefully to the full-length mirror in the spacious room, admiring herself.

"I'm good." The teen responded cheerfully, moving over to stand beside her caretaker.

Ivory quirked an eyebrow. "Oh dear, now you've just ruined the view," She said sadly, clicking her tongue.

Rapunzel frowned slightly, "How do you mean?"

The white haired witch put an arm around the teen, staring at the mirror as she explained. "Well, there was a vision of beauty here, standing in front of the mirror. Flawless skin," She smiled distantly as she gazed into the mirror. "Pure white curls… perfect figure… gorgeous bright red eyes. She looks so lovely, and so young. But then," Ivory's eye twitched slightly as she continued, "Another person enters the picture. And she's rather plain. Sure, she's slender, and fit. But she's got this crazy, long black hair, and a kinda tanned complexion. And her eyes, oh, periwinkle, really? Yes, the second is not so pretty. And it ruins the unmarred vision of the image. The radiant perfection is tainted by plainness."

Rapunzel's face fell, but she didn't respond. She had gotten used to these sorts of talks with the woman. Ivory soon tired from staring in the mirror, insisting that Rapunzel's face was making her dizzy. She bustled over to the large oak table that stood by the wall and set a basket, that had been previously concealed by her voluminous cape, on it.

"I hope you're up for bread and cheese again!" Ivory sang out cheerily, "I even brought you some milk!"

Rapunzel smiled, a small gesture, but a pleased one nonetheless. "Thank you, Ivory…" She said softly.

The witch turned to the girl, putting her hand on her hip. "You better be grateful, Rapunzel. After all, I provide for you. I've taken care of you, all these years. Your parents wer-"

"Good for nothing thieves, I know…" Rapunzel finished the woman's sentence, causing her to quirk an eyebrow in irritation.

"Why thanks for the interruption," came Ivory's biting retort. "Are you sassing me?!"

The girl shook her head vigorously, "O-Oh, no, I'd never! I've just… you know… memorized that."

The witch shrugged, returning to her task of emptying the basket. "Don't make me put you in _your room_ again, Rapunzel…" The threatening tone of her voice sent chills up the teen's spine, and Rapunzel nodded slowly.

"I-I won't…"

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><p>Eli sighed happily as he gazed at the splendor of the ballroom. "This is it, Sombra." The raven on his shoulder cawed in response. "My Destiny. I wonder what I'll be doing here in my own castle?" His thoughts wandered to his childhood home, his parent's castle in the Melody Sector. The royal couple was so happy and lovely, the perfect picture of true love. His father had been known as the Brave Little Tailor in his the prime of his Destiny, and the princess in his tale, Eli's mother, well, it was love at first sight. And their love never faded, never failed. It was as strong as ever. Their life was what inspired Eli. They were such role models to him… maybe, someday, he'd find a woman that he'd fall for just as hard, and that would love him back…<p>

"Your highness." A voice startled Eli out of his musings, and he whirled around, his pine green eyes wide.

The sight that greeted him was none other than his butler, and he sighed. "What is it, Wallace?"

Wallace bowed deeply, "So sorry to disturb you, sir, but there's a woman at the door demanding to see you."

Frowning in confusion, the young man smoothed his wavy, black hair and nodded. "Very well." He follow the excessively tall, lanky man to the enormous doors of his castle.

There, standing on the large threshold in the pouring rain, was a woman. She looked rather like a teenager, though, with pure white curls and flawless skin. Her blood-red eyes exuded annoyance as she crossed her arms. "It's about time, Mr. New Prince-Become-King," She complained, pulling her hood a bit farther over her face. "It's wet out here, and my home is far. Let me in!"

Eli smiled, and was moving to step aside to let the lady in before he froze.

"Sire?" Wallace inquired, but the man could no longer hear him. Eli felt a buzzing sensation in his head, which spread down to his feet and planted them where they were.

A voice sounded in his head, soft, silky and feminine. "Oh no, little one. You can't ruin my precious story. Welcome to your Destiny, Eli. The tale has just begun."

The dark haired young man felt something take control of his vocal cords. It was the weirdest sensation, almost as if he was watching someone else play out his life.

"No."

The word that left the young man's throat startled him, but the reaction was merely inward, with no outward showing. No was the one thing Eli always had trouble saying, to anyone and everyone. So why…

"Your highness?" Eli felt his own head turn to face his trusted butler.

"I said no. We don't let vagabonds and riff-raff in this castle!" _What on earth?! W-What am I saying…? Hey, somebody answer! I don't wanna do this! Help! I've been possessed!_

The female voice in his head spoke again, chuckling but sounding irritated. "I'm merely fixing something, little one. All will be well soon enough. Malorica will make sure…"

_Malorica? The sorceress… of course. She must be controlling my Destiny…_

The female in the doorway stomped her foot brattily, "Why you little… are you refusing me?! _Nobody_ refuses the great - not to mention beautiful, perfect, and lovely - Ivory Noelle! You shall pay dearly, you selfish man!"

Turmoil reigned in Eli's head. He was trying to yell, shout, do anything to take over his own body, but instead he felt a snarl upon his face.

A blood red light surrounded Ivory, and she raised her hands to the sky, chanting. "I curse you, selfish one. I curse you to be as ugly on the outside as I have seen you are inside. Until a maiden, innocent and fair, can love you for your beastly self, you shall remain in this state!" She pushed her hands toward Eli, and he felt an impact before falling to the ground.

"It must be done before the petals fall from this enchanted rose…" A delicate yellow flower was tossed to the ground beside the young man before he faded from the world, losing consciousness.

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><p>"Do you understand, child?" Mother Goose asked the sixteen year old before her, observing how the girl's hand was twitching as she sat with it extended before her.<p>

The apple-green haired maiden nodded, opening her eyes. "Yes, I think so, Mother Goose."

The old woman stood, "Very well. Your lesson is over for today, young one. Just… try not to let it overcome you again, Shaina."

Shaina nodded guiltily, "Yes ma'am. But it's just…" She sighed tiredly. "Being psychic really can be a burden…"

The woman in the room smiled, putting a hand on the slim girl's shoulder. "I know, dear one. But I'm here to teach you! You'll figure it out."

Shaina stood and fastened her navy blue cape over her pink off-shoulder dress, the ruffles brushing her knees. "Thank you, Mother Goose."

The elderly woman waved a hand, "Think nothing of it, child. Just be glad you're not… ahaha, nevermind, Shaina. You better get home to your father!"

The girl tilted her head in confusion. "I'm not what?"

The woman shook her head, "No no no, go home! Your dear papa needs you!"

"I suppose you're right… he does tend to need me," Shaina giggled. "But what were you saying?"

"Nothing, dear, nothing at all!" Mother Goose shoved the slender teen out of the cottage. "And give my regards to my dear granddaughter, would you?"

"Okay! But wait, didn't you see Emi yesterday?" Shaina asked, but was answered with a door in her face.

"Hmm." Shrugging, the girl turned and headed into the woods, pulling her navy blue hood over her head.

* * *

><p>"Ugh. I've never seen anyone more hopeless at shooting, Hunter." Eric sighed, sick of the boy.<p>

Hugh frowned, "My name's Hugh, call me Hugh! Hunter is my surname…" He pouted. "Anyway, who says I'm awful?! Preston said if you teach me, then I could be great!"

"Or dead…" Eric muttered.

"Sourpuss," Hugh teased.

Eric gritted his teeth and snatched up his longbow from its position leaning against a tree. "Why does he do this to me…?!" He spat out before marching away.

"Wait… w-where are you going, Eric?!" Hugh stumbled after him, picking up his own smaller bow and shaking black curls from his eyes.

"Home. Duh. You're annoying me."

"But you can't leave me!" Hugh insisted as he followed the rapidly walking young man.

"I'm not. You're following, aren't you?" Eric's irked tone caused Hugh to pause.

"What's wrong, Eric?"

The young man groaned loudly and whirled around, startling the boy. "Oh, I just _love_ your company, is all."

Hugh's sea-green orbs lit up excitedly. "Really?!"

"Wha- no." Eric rolled his eyes and continued to the hideout, leaving behind a forlorn Hugh.

Upon entering the house, Eric heard noise from the many other Merry Men around, but he didn't see the leader of the rag-tag band, the infamous Preston. Who he currently wanted to skin alive.

Eric searched the entire house, not finding the man he was after. Huffing in frustration, he went outside, and heard the sound of a blade being sharpened. Instantly on the alert, he drew a knife from his belt and tip-toed behind the house. Looking around the corner, he grunted. There he was, sharpening a broadsword. Preston. Looking at the blade, he nodded, pleased.

Eric emerged from the shadows, anger nearly pouring off him. "Preston…"

The man looked up, a slight glint in his blue-green eyes. "Yes, Eric?"

Eric gritted his teeth. Preston chuckled lightly, nodding to a stool beside his. "Sit, and please refrain from tearing my head off. I'm rather attached to it."

The caramel haired seventeen year old sat and crossed his arms, watching the older man sharpen his sword silently.

Preston continued with his work for a while, ignoring Eric. After about ten minutes, though, he grew impatient, and asked him a question. "So, how was the lesson?"

He knew he'd hit a nerve when Eric snorted. "Awful. I don't know why you insist on making _me_ teach that boy! Honestly."

Preston shrugged, "Maybe I think it's a good idea. It'll be good learning experience."

Eric huffed.

"For both of you."

The younger man glared at Preston, who simply sat, stone faced. "Whatever. If I end up going completely insane, I'm killing you first."

Preston chuckled and examined the blade he'd been working with. "Sounds good."

Eric rolled his eyes and stood. He shoved his hands in his pockets, mumbling. "Better go check on the kid…" The dark eyed young man turned and entered the forest, leaving behind an amused Preston.

Preston chuckled a little, running a thumb along the blade of the broadsword he'd been working on. "This is gonna be so fun…" Standing, he picked up his beloved bow, checking the string before slinging it over his shoulder. "I need to give this sword back to Travis. That guy really should stop ruining all my hard work…" And with those soft words to himself, he headed back into the Merry Men's hideout in the Wildwood Sector.

* * *

><p>"Silly little prince, messing with my story… he was going to ruin everything for Malorica!" The sorceress gazed into the mirror on her wall, showing Eli in his castle, still unconscious. "Destiny Interventions are never pretty… but they are better than a Destiny Interruption, eh pet?" She reached up to stroke the raven that stood on her desk, and he cawed softly.<p>

"Daddy would be so proud…" Malorica stared at the book containing her stories, including her newest one, which she'd just had to rescue from destruction. "No one shall hurt what Malorica wishes…"

She waved a flawless hand before the mirror, causing it to change into a view of the entirety of Pure Imagination. The main town lay in the center, bustling with life. And the castles bordering… each with their own pie-shaped sector over which to rule. Malorica smiled as she saw many things. A young man, tromping through the woods in lazy search for a small boy, a teenage girl traipsing home to her father, a group of teenage girls, giggling together, and a teary-eyed young woman trapped in a tower.

"Lovely," She sighed contentedly.

* * *

><p>Eli groaned, stirring. He was alone, save for an oil lamp and odd, shining yellow rose beside him. He sat up, sighing heavily. Reaching a hand up to rub his eyes, he was surprised to find it cut him. Grunting in shock, he opened his green orbs only to have the most confusing sight greet him - his hand was a claw?! A bird claw! Standing dizzily, he turned and saw a full length mirror on the wall, frozen. After a moment, he screamed in shock at the sight that greeted him. A lion-like creature, with eagle claws and tufty ears. The feathers were black, but the fur was dark grey.<p>

"W-What happened to me?!"

* * *

><p><strong>Ehehe, hi guys...<strong>

**Sorry for the late update. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how much/often I will be able to write. My right arm has been injured too, and when I do write, I can only get about 200 words a day. :-/ But!**

**How was your Christmas, everybody?! I hope you enjoyed it! :) (I GOT FANTASY LIFE! *SQUEE!* Ahem. Sorry.)**

**Do you guys like the Destiny Intervention and Interruption? Let me know in your review! (Which you'll be leaving, right? *wink wink nudge nudge*)**

**[EDIT: If you saw a capital 'BREAK' in the story, I apologize. That is how I tell where to put the break lines which are missing from my doc creator, but are on the editor. It's weird, and I missed one... but yeah, I'm sorry. AND ALSO! I do still need OCs! So if you wanna make more, or have friends that like fairy tales and OCs, send 'em over! ;P Heehee. God bless.]**

**Here is the OC disclaimer list!**

**I do not own the following OCs, however I do have permission to use them. **

**Ivory Noelle, she belongs to Kiko Mizushima.**

**Eli, he belongs to Princess Gakoshi.**

**And Wallace belongs to moi.**

**(Wow, not many OCs this chappie, eh? /shot) Please tell me if I got your OC right, or if they were OOC! DX I'm sorry this chapter is shorter, but I am satisfied with it. And...**

**HAPPY NEW YEAR!**

**Some people are in 2015 now, and some stuck in 2014. How was your year? (Mine was amazing! :3)**

**And I've decided to reply to my reviews... HERE! So, here ya go. Replies. XD:**

**YOLO-man: Ahaha, thanks. You're gonna make me blush, hahaha. I don't think it's quite that good... but I'm glad you enjoyed it. :)**

**NightStryke: Thanks man! :D The keeper of legends, ah yes, she's veeerrrrry mysterious. ;) I'm so glad you liked Rapunzel, and I hope you like her this chapter, too! She's so fun. :) Yes, I love the idea behind the Merry Men as well. AH THEY'RE SO AMAZING. I love the Merry Men. X3 And I'm glad you think this story looks promising! Thank you so much for helping me out. :)**

**cometshadow: Heehee, thanks! I'm sooooo glad you liked it! I was totally like sweating bullets in worry, hoping you'd like it. :) Hehe. YAY I'M SO GLAD YOU LIKED HIM YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW HAPPY YOUR REVIEW MADE MEH. Very happy. :DDD Yeah, he is the prince for my twin's OC! :D Lol, yay! I'm so glad you're happy~! :DDDDD Aww, thanks! I love you more! YOU ROCK! Seriously. You're amazing. :) (And you inspired me to write the review replies like this. ;) :D) Thank you! I hope so too, ahaha...**

**Princess Gakoshi: Yay, awesome! I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter, and that you can see stories coming together! :) Heehee, guessing already, eh? Great! :) :D I hope you like Eli so far!**

**emosewa-13: Heehee, I'm REALLY glad you liked it! :D I'm glad you liked the princesses chatting (All I had to do was think of me, my sisters, toss in a couple friends and voila! I can feel the atmosphere! XP) Lol, yeah, after I wrote it I was all like "Eh, Arcturus and Eric could be PICKPOCKET BUDDIES! XD Lol. Okay, I will remember that for the future, thanks Emosewa! :) And YES. The Merry Men banter was honestly my favorite part in that chapter to write, lol. THEY'RE SO AWESOME. Like, I LOOOOVEEE all the OCs I've gotten for this story, but the favorite group award goes to them. Gosh, they're amazing. :D Heehee, yeah, I REALLY hope I can pull the mentor thing off! :D A bit of frustration in the chapter. ;) (Yeah. I'm gonna level with you here, my FAVORITE parts to write are when it's Eric and Preston banter. XD) Bwahahaha, I SHALL NOT ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS! Whoa, who put that microphone there?! XP But seriously, heeheehee, you'll have to find out! ;3 Lol. I'm sorry to have made you wait, but hey, at least as far as I am aware. you didn't die from boredom, right man? ...Right, right?!**

**Blonde's Wild Heart: Yay, sunflowergirl12! :D Okee, so you changed your name - nice to know~! :) Yay, I'm glad you liked it! And thank you for the well-wishes. :)**

**And I think that's it! MAY WE ALL MAKE 2015 A BETTER YEAR THAN 2014 FILLED WITH QUICK UPDATES (XP), COFFEE (OR TEA), CUPCAKES AND JOY. NEVER FORGET THE JOY, THAT'S IMPORTANT. *cough* Wow, I really need to watch out where those set-up guys put the microphones! You know what's next, people...**

**REVIEW! PWEEZ! XD**

**~Swaggy-chan, over and out!**


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